ANKARA, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye and Greece can cooperate on nuclear energy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said following his visit to Athens, the state-run TRT broadcaster reported Friday.
"I believe that my visit, which took place in a very positive atmosphere, will usher in a new chapter in Turkish-Greek relations," the TRT quoted Erdogan as saying.
Heading a delegation of ministers, Erdogan traveled to Athens on Thursday to attend the one-day 5th Greece-Türkiye High-Level Cooperation Council. It is his first visit to the Greek capital since 2017, during which he also met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to discuss bilateral cooperation.
Türkiye aims to develop and expand this cooperation not only in the field of energy, but also in other fields, including nuclear energy, Erdogan told reporters on his flight back from Greece on Thursday.
"We strive to improve our cooperation in all areas. We can also contribute to Greece via the energy generated by our nuclear power plant, which will be built in Sinop," the Turkish president said, referring to the country's second nuclear power plant to be built in the northern province of Sinop.
"The two countries have the knowledge, experience, and determination to resolve their issues amicably without the need for third-party intervention," Erdogan noted.
Türkiye and Greece, both members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), have long been at odds over their overlapping claims of airspace and territorial waters in the Aegean and Mediterranean, as well as other issues concerning minorities and illegal immigration. The two neighboring countries recently expressed their commitment to continue dialogue and reach a common understanding. ■